the award winning rape-revenge horror film directed by Mary Beth McAndrews and written by Jamie Alvey.
Direct. Delegate. Decimate.
A group of murderous frat boys get more than they bargained for when they cross paths with a couple coming home from a wedding.
Starring Brandi Botkin as Abby Reid, Jamie Alvey as Clare Caulfield, Garrett Murphy as Gray McClellan, Bob Wilcox as Cody, Callie Kirk as Brie, Erica Dodt as Jade, Deaton Gabbard as Brad, John Conners as Jacob, Zach Hurley as Travis, Eric Six as Geoff, with Hannah Fierman as Heather, and Chaney Morrow as Thad.
Produced by Mary Beth McAndrews, Katie Page, and Patrick Ewald for DREAD, an Epic Pictures label.
With crew including Chance Madison (cinematographer), Cait Rowe (assistant camera), Quentin Hawkins (assistant director), Ben Miller (production design/special effects), Callie Kirk (makeup artist), Tanner Segbers (sound mixer), Antoine Holliday (additional sound mixer), John Wise-Fiske (additional sound mixer), Andrew Koury (boom operator), Jeff Levack (gaffer), Bino Bannan (key grip), Harris Norton (key grip), James Bailey (sound mixer/colorist), and Barry Rowen (editor).
Still photography by Bryan Houston.
Featuring original music by dolorem.
Accolades:
- The Sacred Crypt Awards 2025 Best Horror Lead Performance Winner (Jamie Alvey)
- The Sacred Crypt Awards 2025 Best Horror Supporting Performance Winner (Garrett Murphy)
- The Sacred Crypt Awards 2025 Best Horror Director Winner (Mary Beth McAndrews)
- The Sacred Crypt Awards 2025 Best Horror Feature Film Nominee (Jamie Alvey and Mary Beth McAndrews)
- Sohome Horror Pride 2025 Bronze Audience Award (Jamie Alvey and Mary Beth McAndrews)
- Nightmares Film Festival 2024 Best Horror Feature Film Winner (Jamie Alvey and Mary Beth McAndrews)
- Nightmares Film Festival 2024 Best Director Feature Film Nominee (Mary Beth McAndrews)
- HorrorHound Fall 2024 Best Directing in a Feature Winner (Mary Beth McAndrews)
- HorrorHound Fall 2024 Best Writing in a Feature Winner (Jamie Alvey)
- HorrorHound Fall 2024 Best Lead Performance in a Feature Nominee (Jamie Alvey)
- HorrorHound Fall 2024 Best Supporting Performance in a Feature Winner (Garrett Murphy)
- HorrorHound Fall 2024 Best Cinematography in a Feature Winner (Chance Madison)
- HorrorHound Fall 2024 Best Editing in a Feature Winner (Barry Rowen)
- HorrorHound Fall 2024 Best Production Design in a Feature Nominee (Ben Miller)
- HorrorHound Fall 2024 Best SFX in a Feature Nominee (Ben Miller)
- HorrorHound Fall 2024 Best Sound Design in a Feature Nominee (Barry Rowen and Tanner Segbers)
- HorrorHound Fall 2024 Best Feature Film (Jamie Alvey and Mary Beth McAndrews)
- HorrorHound Fall 2024 Judges Choice Feature Film (Jamie Alvey and Mary Beth McAndrews)
Festival Acceptances and Screenings:
- HorrorHound Fall 2024 Film Festival Official Selection (premiere screening on September 14, 2024)
- Philadelphia Unnamed Film Fest 2024 Official Selection (screened on September 27, 2024)
- Nightmares Film Festival 2024 Official Selection (screened on October 20, 2024)
- New York City Horror Film Festival 2024 Official Selection (screened on December 8, 2024)
- Black Sunday Film Festival 2025 Official Selection (screened on May 1, 2025)
- Sohome Horror Pride 2025 Virtual Festival (screened June 13-15, 2025)
Interviews and Media:
- Jamie Alvey on The Brandon Peters Show discussing Absentia (2011) and Bystanders from February 2021
- Jamie Alvey on The Brandon Peters Show discussing Series 7 (2001) and Bystanders from October 2023
- Feature on Jamie Alvey and Bystanders from The Owensboro Times from December 2024
- Jamie Alvey on Creepy and Geeky discussing Bystanders from January 2025
- Jamie Alvey on The Feminine Critique discussing Bystanders from January 2025
- Jamie Alvey on Another Goddamn Horror Podcast discussing Bystanders from January 2025
- Jamie Alvey on The Brandon Peters Show discussing The Wizard of Gore (1970) and Bystanders from February 2025
- Interview with Jamie Alvey by Jamie Kirsten Howard from Horror Movie Blog from June 2025
- How Indie Horror Film BYSTANDERS Re-Invented the Rape / Revenge Sub-Genre: Interviews with the Film’s Cast & Creators by Bee Delores from Daily Dead from August 2025
- and more coming soon…
Analysis and Articles:
- Digging Deep: Bystanders (2024) by Liz DeGregorio via Morbidly Beautiful
- This Brand-New Indie Horror Movie Puts a Fresh Twist on an Old Subgenre, and Still Brings Tons of Blood by Bee Delores via Collider
- ‘Bystanders’ Puts Rape-Revenge On The Offense by Jenn Adams via Dread Central
- 7 Feminist Horror Films You May Not Know by Vanessa Maki via But Why Tho?
- Rape Survivors are Living Vicariously Through ‘Good for Her’ Films by Rebecca Sayce via Metro
Made with love and horror. 